IPL role could be behind Virat Kohli's decision to miss 'key' Dharamsala Test, doubts Brad Hodge

New Delhi: Former Australian batsman, Brad Hodge, who is also th head coach of Gujarat Lions, took a swipe at team India skipper Virat Kohli, saying it would look bad if Kohli played the IPL opener after pulling out of the Dharamsala Test.

"You'd hope as a sportsman that he's seriously injured," Hodge was quoted telling Fox Sports News' Gameday Live. (IND vs AUS, Dharamsala Test - Live Blog | Full Coverage)

"Because if you miss one game of Test match cricket and you're fronting up the next week for RCB [Royal Challengers Bangalore] versus whoever ... you'd be pretty dirty if he didn't front up to a Test match and try and win a valuable series against Australia."

Kohli had injured his right shoulder while trying to prevent a ball from crossing the boundary rope during the third Test in Ranchi. Though he admitted that he didn't have any problems batting, it was fielding which had been giving him troubles and hence he decided to not feature in the Dharamsala Test at all.

His confession was in line with the modern-day Indian team's fitness-focused approach, but Hodge, sees a different reason behind the 28-year-old's absence altogether. He reckoned that if not for something very serious, the Indian captain should have played the 'decider' Dharamsala Test, considering the present status of the series, which is tied at 1-1.

"You would think that your captain would get out there and get amongst the fight and get in there."

When probed for the basis of his suspicions that Kohli might have saved himself for IPL, Hodge said, "It's happened before."

"He gets paid a helluva lot of money - he gets paid a helluva lot of money anyway, so it doesn't matter - but there are certain players who will limp in to IPL time, to make sure they get there and perform well, because it is an important tournament for everyone around the world.

"I'm hopeful, as a Gujarat Lions coach, that when we play RCB in a couple of weeks that he's not playing."

Meanwhile, former Test players Brendon Julian and Brad Haddin have also questioned Kohli carrying drinks at breaks on Day One of the fourth Test.

"The one sight out there that was quite puzzling was Virat Kohli out there running some drinks. This is the captain that said, 'I can't actually play because I have a shoulder injury' out there running the drinks," Julian said.
"I don't get that. I don't get that. I like Kohli. I think he's a very good captain and he's great for Indian cricket, but you don't need to be doing that. You're out injured. What is the point?"

Haddin said Kohli risked derailing the captaincy of his stand-in, Ajinkya Rahane.

"I also think he's good for the game and he's a world class batter, but what about Rahane," said Haddin.

"He (Rahane) was out their captaining the team and you don't want him running on because you know how big a personality he is in the change-room.

"It's his time to captain and what if he had different views on what Kohli has. Talk to him by all means in the change-room, but you're injured. Sit down and get some ice on your shoulder."

RCB kick-off the IPL season 10 on April 5 – opening day of the tournament - against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

(With PTI inputs)